GUN FIRED AT HUSBAND

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21084, 8 February 1934, Page 4

GUN FIRED AT HUSBAND

DOMESTIC DISPUTE

WOMAN FOUND GUILTY OF ASSAULT f IfltKSi ASSOCIATION TELLGRAM.) AUCKLAND, February 7. The trial is proceeding at the Supreme Court of Mary Little, aged 49 years, who is charged with attempting to murder her husband at Pokeno on October 14. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. R. Meredith, said the woman addicted to drink, and was under the effects of drink about noon on October 14, when her husband became angered by her condition. He said he would have her prohibited. A boy in the house would say that he saw the woman point a shotgun at her husband, and when in the passage he heard a report and saw the husband with half a hand blown oft. When the police arrived the accused told them that the shooting was accidental. The first witness called was George Little, the accused's husband. Counsel for the accused said there was a grave question whether the husband could give evidence against his wife. The husband declined to give evidence, and it was for the judge to decide whether he could be compelled to do so. After hearing the Crown Prosecutor, Mr Justice Herdman told the jury that he had decided that the husband was a competent witness, but, in view of the decision of the Court of Appeal, and a similar decision by the Court of Criminal Appeal in England, his compellability was doubtful, and he would not be called unless he wished. His Honour added that he would reserve the point for the Court of Appeal. Small Boy's Account. William Liddicoat, aged 12, said that he lived with his 'uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Little, at Pokeno. The day before the occurrence he came home from school and saw that his aunt had been drinking. For some time that night he heard his uncle and aunt talking. His uncle said something to the effect that "St had been going on too long." On October 14 he returned from an errand and saw some cartridges in a glass dish on the mantelpiece. The gun was standing with its muzzle on the ground. He had never seen it that way up before. Little came in, and accused, who was lying down in the next room, said something. Little said, "It's all right, you will be receiving a piece of blue paper in a few days I'll have you at Pukekohe at half past 10 on Thursday." Witness said that his uncle went into the next room. Accused then came out into the kitchen. Witness saw her picking up the gun. He was going out through the door and glanced back when he saw that she had the gun at her shoulder. The hammers were , cocked. A few seconds afterwards he heard the report of the gun, and Little ran out of the bat-': door. Witness returned to the kitchen and saw accused still standing there. He rang for a doctor. Evidence of Woman. Accused, who entered the witness box to give evidence on ner own behalf, said that she had worked hard to help her husbalid. He was a really good man when not in a temper. The shock of the gun going off had made her forget until about six weeks after the incident what had happened, so

that she not been able to give an account of it for some time. She had been in bed resting when her husband came into the house. She heard him "roaring" in the kitchen about food, bne got up, and he seized her by the hair, knocking her down. He started kicking her. Her hair came out and she got away somehow into the kitchen. She did not remember touching the gun, but she might have done so. She did not know it was loaded. After a retirement of an hour the jury returned with the verdict that accused was guilty of assault so as to cause actual bodily harm. A rider was added recommending the accused to mercy. Sentence was deferred.